and this as merrill newman has release aid video that north korea is calling a quote apology. here's pentagon correspondent barbara starr. >> i can understand that in u.s. and western countries, are there is misleading information and propaganda about tprk. >> north korean state media released this video over the weekend of detained american tourist, 85-year-old merrill newman reading a handwritten apology. pyongyang saying new man admits he's guilty of big crimes when he fought for the u.s. in the korean war killing civilians, working with anti-communist guerrillas and planning now 60 years later to try to meet up with them. the video shows him signing is the four-page statement he read on camera dated november 9th and sealing it with his thumb print in red ink. what happened to him had next isn't clear after being held since late october, taken off his plane just as his tour group was leaving. the white house is now weighing in a spokeswoman saying the u.s. is deeply concerned, calling on innic to release newman and fellow american kenneth bae now held for more than a year.